Mount Gambier Cycling Club racers ventured out to the roads outside Tantanoola for the fourth race in their Summer Series.
Some of the younger riders had commitments with the Junior Track Cycling Championships, but 15 riders were still prepared to take on the course which took in the wind farm region around Lake Bonney.
The club was fortunate to again be able to have a 10km race for junior riders preceding the senior race, with Glenn Tye leading them away three and a half minutes ahead of Molly Opperman, and Sean Tye combining with Ethan McKenny a further two minutes behind.
The focus of these junior races continues to be helping the young riders understand the finer points of racing, so we thank chaperones David Tye, Nick Kidman, Matthew Opperman and Malcolm Tirabassi for sharing their expertise and encouragement.
At the halfway mark of the race, Molly had caught up to Glenn, with Ethan and Sean slowly catching up, but still with plenty of work to do.
As they approached the finish line, Molly was still in front, with Ethan riding away from Sean to claim second place, and Glenn in fourth.
Ethan felt so good after the junior race, he decided to take up the opportunity to ride in the senior race as well.
After a short break to regather his breath, Ethan joined Dianne Major as the first riders on the course.
They had a 12-minute advantage over the next group consisting of Jen Buckland, David Tye, Ainsley Curtis and Troy Mustey, and another two minutes over John Cranwell and Spek Peake.
A further six minutes elapsed before Gerard Coote and Colin Weatherill joined the chase, followed one minute later by Matthew Opperman, Chris Kennett, Malcolm Tirabassi and Craig Andrae, with Nick Kidman trying to chase down all ahead of him one minute further back.
The Tantanoola race includes a punchy climb approximately 7km into the race which can play havoc with any bunches as each rider tries to find their rhythm, and so it proved today.
Ethan rode away from Major and was still 30 seconds ahead by the turnaround marker.
Further back, Weatherill and Coote had been caught by Opperman, Andrae, Tirabassi and Kennett just before the climb, with only Coote able to hold onto the group as they passed.
As the riders approached the turnaround, they hoped to enjoy a tailwind return, but the wind was relatively calm for a change.
Ethan turned first, followed by Major, with Jen, Tye, Curtis and Mustey just over four and a half minutes behind.
Peake and Cranwell were catching the group ahead of them (shaving 30 seconds off), but were quickly being reeled in by the group behind and were just one minute ahead with 17km to go.
An untimely puncture just before the turnaround ended Coote’s race, with Kidman keeping pace with the group ahead of him but unable to make headway, and Weatherill enduring a time trial, hoping to catch some of the other riders before the finish.
The punchy climb once again proved an obstacle on the return leg, with many riders being caught or dropped from their group while cresting the summit.
Ethan was the last to be caught by Kennett and Opperman, but was able to keep up as they passed.
As they crossed the finish line, Ethan McKenny took the victory just ahead of Kennett and Opperman, with Andrae and Tye close behind.
Kidman arrived next, but after comparing times with Kennett it was determined that he had taken advantage of the group dynamics and was duly awarded fastest time by just one second.
He was followed by Tirabassi, Mustey, Curtis, Jen Buckland, Peake, Major, Cranwell with Weatherill just 200m short of catching.
The next race will be a 30km race near Glencoe on February 26, taking the riders along the Overland Track before finishing with a 1.5km climb up the Range Hill.
